Malthouse not surprised by Ben Cousins relapse

FORMER Collingwood AFL coach Mick Malthouse says he’s not surprised by the drug addiction relapse of retired star Ben Cousins, who is reportedly in psychiatric care.

The Perth-based Cousins was hospitalised after a fall last week and then reportedly moved for treatment for prolonged psychosis related to his battle with drugs.

Malthouse coached Cousins for four years at West Coast before he shifted in 2000 to the Magpies.

He stepped down as their senior coach at the end of last season and will pursue a media career.

“It’s one of those things … what’s the next chapter for Ben and, unfortunately, I don’t think it was ever going to be a great chapter,” Malthouse said on 3AW on Monday.

“I hope there’s no last chapter coming up too quickly.”

Malthouse, who in the past described Cousins as one of his “favourite players and a favourite person”, said he was told to expect a relapse.

Collingwood investigated signing Cousins before he was picked up by Richmond for the 2009 season, when he returned from a one-year ban for bringing the game into disrepute.

He played for the Tigers for two seasons before his retirement.

“I was warned by people who had strong connections to him, because we were looking at drafting him, that any slight alteration to the norm could trigger a response,” Malthouse told Neil Mitchell.

“‘Accept it Michael’, I was told … ‘it’s going to happen; he’s never going to be free. You can take him on for three or four years – he will not get through that period without having a setback.

“It might be a girlfriend, a bad game, bad media, an injury; something will set it off.” - AAP